DIRECTOR JAMES EGAN
| Directors Notes | |
02.17.07 In light of a new beginning here at NBTHS i have edited this entry 12.16.06 Hmm... where to start. Eh that's easy. Having a baby recently has been so wonderful. Christopher James Egan was born the day after graduation. Needless to say life has been very busy. This web site has been a casualty of less time. I promise more updates to keep you all better informed. In that vein here's what has been happening in our world of music since the last update in May. We have completed another great marching band season. We have welcomed many new freshmen into the program and have sadly said good bye to last year's seniors. The Raider Band continues to grow and are now a group 5 Marching Band with over 100 members. It was so nice to see all the raider band alumni at the Thanksgiving Game. Graduates all the way back from my first year came to support the band which they still love to this day. Civilians often look on marching band people with a why would you do that sort of attitude, but the people who perform and work with a marching band know something they never will. There's a sponge bob episode known as the marching band episode. Without getting into it too deeply, at some point the line "to know what it really means to be in a marching band" comes up. Of course it's all a joke , tongue in cheek, but it's funny to all of us because we have experienced being in a marching band and do know what "it really means to be in a marching band". It means a kind of belonging. The easiest way to describe it is it feels like a home and a kind of family. So when you return after a long absence it is in effect a home coming in every sense of the expression. 07.07.06 As Graduation
approaches we must say goodbye to all of our graduating seniors.
They have all brought so much to our music program over the years
and they will all be sorely missed. I have enjoyed all the conversations,
jokes, and good times we have all shared. I hope that you will find
some of the lessons you have learned during your time in our music
program useful to you as you move on to other things beyond high
school. Know that when you leave we will miss you and have also
learned from you. As alumni you are always welcome among us and
will always find yourselves at home whenever you return. As the
years have gone by I have been very fortunate to have been contacted
by many of our graduates and have continued to enjoy hearing of
their lives after high school. You probably wouldn't be surprised
of how many still play music. Music is a joy that we all share and
on some level it will always bind us together no matter where you
go. Things tend to slow down this time of year, at least that's the way it seems to the outside world. with the fall marching band season behind us as well as the winter concerts and the Glen Burtnik Xtravaganza we re-evaluate how we can improve for the rest of the year and next year. Rotating lessons are in full swing. students are coming down for small group lessons all periods of the day. Seeing that we need more brass players, we have students switching from woodwind instruments to brass instruments. I've also been approached by a few string students who are also looking to be involved with marching band. Paul is working hard with the winter percussion and Amanda has begun winter guard. As for me, I try to introduce the concepts of intonation, rhythm and pulse in a way that each and every performer can grasp and embody. I have already met with the Jr. High students and plan to be around several more time during their rehearsals. This way they can become comfortable with the change from Jr. High to high school and ask all the questions they need to. Hopefully all the new parents will find our web site informative. Our schedule for next year is already forming. Most events are already listed and available for your perusal just by clicking the calendar link above. If you are new to the site you should know that things are hidden all over the place here. you can find music programs, song, movies, fingering charts, musical term, software, and more. best wishes, jamie egan 02.26.06 The Glen Burtnik Xmas Extravaganva is an event that is hard to describe. I was approached last year by Glen and asked if the winter percussion group would like to participate. As long as Paul was agreeable it sounded fun to me. One thing you should all know about Paul is that he says no to performances even less then I do. It wasn't long after agreeing to this event that I found myself talking to Glen again about his show. This time he was looking for a string section to back up a few acts in his show. I thought this would be a great chance for our string musicians to see a side of the music business they rarely get to see. Agreeing to this meant rewriting some charts and putting together some of our best string players. We were all a little nervous. The venue was the State Theatre in New Brunswick. None of us knew what to expect. Some see this as the recipe for disaster but for me it has always been the recipe for growth, even if it is a disaster. What we ended up with last year was one of the best educational and professional experiences of our lives. This year was a repeat of that same feeling. Of course there were changes as there always are in this business. Since last year we acquired a new string teacher Cooper Ford. He was glad to participate in this years event and was a big help. We both had NJ Regional auditions the next day @ 8AM but he agreed that it was worth it. Something happens at Glen's show. The show is such a bonding experience for all those involved. All the performers donate their time. You would be surprised to see the list of performers that stop by. Glen has so many talented and generous friends. Thanks Glen on behalf of all the children and staff of NBTHS who get to share the stage with you and your talented friends and family. Happy Holidays to all of you who have helped our children over the years by coming to performances, sewing flags, going to meetings, and moving equipment. best wishes, Mr. Egan 12.12.05 It was bound
to happen. After many years of rebuilding the NBTHS Raider Marching
Band we are being recognized for our efforts. The first people to
notice that something was different were the administrators that
hired me, Dr. Rimmer and Joe Lacasio. Very soon after the few band
parents we had along with the few students I inherited from the
previous director could feel the change. Soon after that the township
realized we were on the rebound. Now as the rebuild continues the
organization we have been competing in for over 15 years is recognizing
our efforts. Along with my friends Paul and Barbara we went through
different staff members looking for the right people. All the while
I added new students faster then we could train them. It been a
long bumpy road and it's far from over, but maybe I should give
you some background. Before I took this gig I asked around and I
was told by many "not to take the job." people gave me
the following reasons: the administration doesn't support music,
the band parents chase away every director, the students don't care
about music and some things that are too mean to repeat. At the
beginning of my sixth year here I can safely say that i have found
everyone of these excuses, along with ones I won't mention, to be
completely untrue. Some weeks ago I reported that our Marching Band
came in second place at the South Brunswick band competition, beating
Hightstown and upsetting open band Verona. Proving that this was
no fluke we have upped the ante by coming in first place at Manalapan's
competition and winning best overall percussion to boot. Our percussion
section didn't just beat the bands in our group size, they beat
everyone including bands the size of NJ's biggest bands. Our score
is the highest score NBTHS has ever scored in competition at 89.54
Oh yeah and just to dispel that rumor about band parents being problematic,
they won for best pit crew. Great job students, parents, and directors.
I am so proud to call myself your director. oct.23.05 Here it is October and the North Brunswick Raider Marching Band has never been in better shape. After years of building and struggling we have finally broken into the top three in competition. My thanks goes out to all the students who helped build this program back up over the years. Without your sacrifice we wouldn't be here now. Our second place win in South Brunswick has a few people talking in USSBA circles. Not only have we opened the season with our highest opening score ever, we continue to gain ground on the top bands in our field. To be truthful we are competing against bands that aren't even in our class or championship show. The bands we have been closing in on are IV Open bands while we are IV A. I am very proud of the efforts of our students, staff, and especially our Drum Majors, Julia Nutter, Robert Cedid, and Henry Yeh. With every step our Marching Band is becoming more and more, the pride of North Brunswick. oct.15.05 September brings us many events and prepares us for our busiest month of the year, October. Check the calendar often for recent changes during these two months. The basic September run down includes football games, our first competition, and community events such as,the 911 memorial, which can be seen on local cable, and also pride day. So far this has been an incredibly productive month. With no rain and intensive rehearsals we have found ourselves in great shape early in the season. October holds the bulk of our competitive season and sets our seating for championships on November 6th @ Hershey Park. If you plan on auditioning for NJ Regions this year you should already be preparing. This means private lessons and of course daily practice in excess of an hour a day. NJ Regions aren't for everyone but if you think it's for you the regiment is clear. Daily warm-ups followed by scales. Next practice rhythm and etudes as well as the prepared solo. You must also spend time listening to professional musicians playing your instrument and the solo you are preparing. Lastly you should be concentrating on things specific to your instrument that aren't listed here. Only those who practice daily and with focus will succeed. I will pre audition any who wish to try out for this prestigious group. Our own audition process follows the NJ Regions model so you will be familiar to you. Applications need to be hand delivered to me and are due on October15th. For more information click the NJREGIONS link above in the menu bar. Good Luck! sept.21.05 it seems like summer band camp was yesterday. all those green faces lost amongst the seasoned musicians. still many other faces missing now off to college. i never know who's going to make it and who will pass on the marching band experience. i wish all would give us a chance but what we do isn't for everyone. we expect so much of every single member. now a month after camp ended we have finally finished our 2005 show. there still so much cleaning to do and work to finish but we have a show. today we spent all day on marching band, school will still be there tomorrow, but today was about marching band. we had class meetings. we know each other so much better now. i can't believe who much better we know each other now then we did in the summer. we have really become a family. i'm so proud of all of you. i think we are going to have a great season. life is made up of experiences both good and bad. i wouldn't trade these days with all of you for anything. thank you for working so hard and more importantly for being so good to each other. best wishes, mr. egan sept01.05 as we prepare our new marching band for another busy season our past graduates move off into the world. some will begin working while others go off to college or trade school. the choices for recent grads are at times overwhelming. to all of you who have passed through our doors, and now see how big the world really is, know that we are still here. know that we are grateful for anything you have contributed to us. know that even though you may have left high school that we still care about you and wish you well. we are still here for you. you may feel alone out there but you are not. we are an email or phone call away. you are valuable to us. we love to see you when you are doing well, but are just as grateful to hear from you when things are not so well. time may slip by, but when we see your faces, it is again yesterday, when you were with us and we are glad. the only thing that could ever make us sad is to know that we will see you no more. we will always remember you please never forget that we are here for you as you were for us. best wishes, mr. egan july.05.05 Congratulations to our graduates. We will miss you and the contributions you have made to us over the years. You have done so much to make this a better place while you were here. Every aspect of our program has gotten better during your time with us. Although it may be sad to say good bye we do so with love, respect and well wishes for your futures. best wishes, jamie egan june.25.05 Congratulations
to Yiling Hu and John Moroney! Both of these freshmen have just
made the prestigious NJ All State Orchestra. For those who don't
understand the enormity of this tremendous feet, let me explain.
New Jersey is split into three regions. We belong to central region
II. To audition forAll States you must make your region ensemble
first. Any high school instrumental or choir student can audition
for this group. The information for this is linked at the top of
this page as NJMEA. All instrumental students must prepare the required
professional level solo, a list of scales, and sight read. Sight
reading is playing an excerpt from a piece that the performer has
never seen. As teachers and members of MENC we judge and run this
annual event. There are three judges in each room. With our backs
to the musicians we perform blind auditions. Students are not permitted
to speak in the audition rooms. Often our students wait on long
lines and listen to their peers through closed doors. They wonder
if they can control their nerves to be better then the rest. After
a grueling day of going from room to room they wait for the results.
The numbers tell the story in each of the three areas. Long lists
of each instrument, sometimes well over 100 names long, with your
name in the order in which you scored. Only the top scores are good
enough to make the group. Now take all those good enough to be considered
the best of the best in each of the three region and do it all again
to find the best in the entire state. This is where you will find
violinist Yiling Hu, and bassist John Moroney. As you can tell I'm
extremely proud of how well these two freshmen have have represented
us. march.20.05 Auditions for seating throughout the orchestra and wind ensemble has begun. The idea of lining up all the musicians in order from best to worst is my least favorite event of the year. Unfortunately there will be those who wish they had done better and feel badly. Remember that no matter how you do in our audition process that you are valuable to us. We are here for you so that you can improve your skills and express yourself through art. The audition process wrongfully ignores this fact and only acknowledges where you stand. On the other hand the audition is a valuable snap shot of your current ability. An audition is just an audit of your current skills. There is no better way to check your improvement then to look at your scores from semester to semester. The pressure of an audition isn't much different then the pressure you feel in a live performance. Practicing your circle of 5th's, rhythm chart, and solo will do much more for you then just increase your audition score. It will elevate your skills as a musician. Once you have mastered these skills you will have them for life as long as you play your instrument. The higher your score on your last audition the greater the chance that you will play your instrument for life not just elementary through high school. My goal isn't to create music majors, but to create people who love music and have the skills necessary to play in college, community groups, and become music majors if that's their choice. I find the statistics that 80% of high school musicians don't play after high school disturbing. Although i find the audition process tough on my students it is an extremely valuable tool to all of us. For me it illuminates areas I need to concentrate on. For you as the performer it motivates you to practice the elements that will make you life long musicians. For all of us it shows us where we stand in obtaining our goals of being our absolute best. I wish us all the best of luck. Practice hard! best wishes, jamie egan feb.17.05 lately we have been interacting more with our school and community. the post before this one pertains to our positive dealings with the town council and mayors office. this one i found interesting because it puts light on a situation that comes up often in music education. students from outside the music program looking in with wonder. they may be envious or mocking but they are all talking. they all wonder why the group is so close. why do they spend so much time together. they wonder about the wacky director. the bands within the band. outside projects of the students and director. they may be wondering, laughing, mocking,or enjoying, but whatever they are doing, the instrumental music program has become something to talk about. our doors are, and have always been, open. to many the instrumental music program is a safe haven for artistic expression and making life long friendships. it's safe to say that the instrumental music program is worthy of conversation and that the students that join and stay get more then they bargain for. Jason DaCruz
2.13.05 I'd like to extend my gratitude to the mayor and the town counsel for recognizing the efforts of our students at the town council meeting on December 20th. Besides presenting both the string ensemble and percussion ensemble with proclamations for their performances at the State Theater in New Brunswick, they publicly recognized the growth and quality of our marching band. several council members spoke of how happy they were to see our music program thriving. I've said it before but it's worth reiterating that this accomplishment is the result of hard working students, staff, parents and administration. I need to add to that list the support of the township and town council as well. When the mayor of North Brunswick spoke of local bands and supporting the youth of our town in their musical endeavors. During his speech all I could think of was what a great use of a persons time. Music is such a powerful message. There is no end to what music has to teach. Thank you Mayor Womack and members of the town council. best wishes, jamie egan
i have been tight lipped
about my future with streetlight and the ska world in general out
of respect for my friends in streetlight. although my touring with
streetlight has ended at this time i'm not ready to say that you
will never see me again. i think people had me dead and buried after
catch 22 as well. i love to perform on stage and enjoy all the people
i talk to and meet at shows. at this time it is in the best interest
of my friends in streetlight that they be the ones that speak pertaining
to my departure. i would never want to impede their success in anyway.
they are all hard working, talented, good guys that deserve all
the success in the world. i wish them the best and hope that our
friendships endure all the years of our lives. my reasons for not
touring at this time are personal and have nothing to do with my
friends at streetlight. i have two young sons who love the fact
that daddy plays in a band, but miss me when i'm gone. although
this has been one of the toughest choices of my life, looking at
my two sons it clearly shouldn't be. i never started playing music
for the reason of performing in front of people. music just affects
me somehow in a way that i must play. as a result of this desire
it has been one of my sincerest pleasures in life to be regarded
with affection and respect by people such as yourself. i don't deserve
such praise. i've never claimed to be the best at anything in life
especially music. i've met people over the years who claim to be
better then others or talk @#$t about other musicians. my reasons
for performing were never to be better then anyone else, but to
express and vent energy and emotion in a way that i felt was artistic,
fun, and meaningful. tom's art is a great place for any musician
to do just such a thing. i have been fortunate to meet so many good
people over the years in music and plan to continue to work at what
i love for the rest of my life. don't bury me yet. :)- december.31.04 december.11.04 Many things come to mind during this time of year. it has been an extremely busy and tumultuous year. to say it's been a roller coaster ride would be an understatement. as i update the web page periodically i look at the note about tony. each time i think it's been long enough but i can't bring myself to delete the words about tony. i thought i would put them here since i still look at them from time to time. tony and i would always get together around this time of year regardless of how busy we were. Mr. Anthony Schiavone. His dedication and loyalty to his family, friends, and students was gift to all who knew him. this was sent to me by my friend dorian. dorian, tony and i have hung out together, played shows together, and worked together since the fifties when we went to college together in jersey. If you
knew my friend, Tony Schiavone, you would have seen that he was
set in his ways and you would like him immediately. It was amazing
that it would be this time that he went, because he was surrounded
by his really close college buddies for three months. He was older
and started college with us (bass player). It just worked out that
this year we all played at each other's school musicals. He did GODSPELL,
CHARLIE BROWN, AND PIPIN. We spent almost three full months gig'n
with each other. Dinner every night, laughs, stess'n over our crazy
busy lives, and he talked about his kids constantly. Their dog
died three months ago, and I brought my dog over so november.11.04 rain has cancelled our involvement in tonight's football game against franklin. with my new found extra time i thought i would share my thoughts with you on this years return to Giant Stadium scheduled for tomorrow. i posted the following on our front page because i feel it's that important. i also included an earlier announcement which speaks to our commitment and obligation to the township which supports us in every way possible. although not everyone is a fan of mine personally, everyone who has seen the growth of our fine marching band in a fan of our students efforts. The NBTHS Raider Marching Band will return to Giant Stadium tomorrow after a five year absence. In 1999 the raider band performed with 22 students at half the size of a group I band. The band performed with no color guard or marching percussion. Eighteen students marched around two drummers and a bass player. Without a guard this band scored, in championships, lower than our current bands first score in september. We return with nearly 100 members at a large group IV, just 8 students away from a group V band. we return with full marching percussion including, 5 bass drummers, 2 quint players, and 6 snare drummers. a full pit with 4 mallet players, two basses, and 4 auxiliary pit personnel. If you're keeping track that's already bigger than the 1999 Raider marching band. We return with a full guard complete with flag, saber and rifle work. We return with full instrumentation from tuba to piccolo. We return with high level drill and music which will score at least 20 points higher than when we last appeared in Giant stadium. People said that the NBTHS Raider Marching Band would never march again. They were wrong. People told me it couldn't be fixed. They were wrong. People told me that the administration wouldn't support it. They were wrong. People told me the band parents were difficult. They were wrong. People told me the children in North Brunswick couldn't and wouldn't do it. They were wrong. One of our current administrators told me that people should beware of proclaiming themselves a savior. he smirked at me and said " remember what happened to him." I don't think anyone involved with the rebirth of our marching band would be so short sighted as to take sole credit for what was clearly a strong and concerted group effort. My congratulations goes out to all involved in beating the odds in reconstructing our marching band. So five years later, on behalf of the staff, parents, administration, board of ed, and most importantly the students of NBTHS past and present, I am proud to announce the return of the NBTHS Raider Marching band to Giant stadium in 2004! we're back. and previously on the front page: Special thanks to the NBTHS Raider Marching Band. You have once again taken the message to the streets that our music program is not only back from the ashes, it's thriving. Both the 911 ceremony and Heritage Day were made that much more special by your performances. I am very thankful that I have the opportunity to work with such a loyal and dedicated bunch of young musicians. Your pride shines through in every performance you give. It's with great pride that I lead you through the streets of our town.
James Egan ps read rebecca's essay below november.9.04 sometimes students put things in words that i should never forget but do. here's an essay that was done by one of our seniors. i could tell you all the reasons i admire this essay but i will let you come up with your own reasons. i will say this, i appreciate the way rebecca illustrates her journey through our music program. her perspective is as an average player but i personally find rebecca a much better then average player. her take on music and how it impacts her life is extraordinary to me Rebecca Viola
Sitting on the hard wooden floor of the elementary school gym, the instructor carefully explained each musical instrument, describing its unique characteristics and sound. Of all the instruments she demonstrated, I found myself attracted to the viola. Tuned a fifth below a violin, its lower timbre and fuller sound made it appealing. Never one to follow the crowd, I liked that many of my friends were violinists, but I was a violist, once even nicknamed “Rebecca Viola.” As a nervous second grader, this was my first time branching out on my own as an individual. My friends and I could play in an orchestra together, but everything about the music, from its purpose to the clef in which it was written would be different. Together we were a team, but they were violinists and I was the violist. Reflecting on my first few years of playing the viola, I can only laugh and think about what my “music” must have sounded like. Scratchy and out of tune, it was probably terrible. Nevertheless, I proudly showed off my newfound musical expertise for anyone who would listen. Each note learned was an accomplishment, every song a milestone. Thankfully, as I have grown, so has my skill. Today, I am fortunate enough to attend a school that offers orchestra as a class, even boasting an Honors Orchestra for the more advanced players. I find it invigorating to sit down with the Honors Orchestra each morning and make music. Working my way through a particularly difficult passage, whether it is from a traditional piece, like Beethoven or a more contemporary one, like the “Harry Potter Symphonic Suite,” I slowly slip away from the real world and into my “zone.” When I play, my mind focuses only on the music on the stand in front of me. I do not think about tomorrow’s calculus test, the chemistry lab that I have to finish, or the USY dance on Saturday night. As I concentrate, the music becomes a part of me, with my entire body immersed in the dynamics, bowing, and rhythms. Rarely playing the melody, the purpose of the violist is to keep time and support the violinists and cellists as they play the melody, the memorable and often more exciting parts of the music. Because of this, the listener seldom leaves the concert humming the viola part. Playing these background parts has taught me the importance of the group, what an athlete learns from playing on a team. Viola parts may not always be particularly exciting, but they keep me disciplined and focused and keep the orchestra together. Although nobody hears my individual notes, I must work hard to contribute to the sound of the group because when I make a mistake it ruins the overall effect. When I am in my “zone” my favorite piece to play is “St. Paul Suite” by Gustav Holst. Holst employs many musical techniques, which allow the piece to be enjoyable for both the musician and the listener. Of all the techniques he uses, my favorite is hemiola. Besides being a fun word to say (try it!), hemiola is playing rhythms of two against three. Because each instrument is playing in a different time signature, each musician must concentrate on a different rhythm. This keeps her fully engrossed in the exciting music while the listener hears a complex blend of all the parts. Although I love playing viola, I am not a natural musician. I have a poor inner sense of rhythm and a hard time hearing pitch. Within the past few years I have developed these musical necessities, but only with help from my instructor. My love of playing and my natural sense of competition keep me on par with my classmates, as they force me to constantly raise the bar and work harder. Surrounded by talented musicians, I have grown to appreciate their natural skill as they have clarified and taught me many technical aspects of playing my instrument. At the beginning of last year the pieces we played together were impossible, but by June I could play them with ease. I know that my future does not include being a professional musician but I love to play for the sheer enjoyment of making music. A few years ago, a close friend and I had a discussion about high school stereotypes. As we discussed which ones would best define our friends, I began to wonder where I fit. When I asked her how she would define me she said, “Becca, you're difficult to do. I guess you're just an orchestra kid.” An orchestra kid. Yes, “Rebecca Viola.” november.04.04 it's hard too believe this week is almost over. for those of us involved in marching band these past few months have been more hectic than ever. we had more rehearsals and performances than we have ever had. in the month of october students and staff worked every single day between school and band except for two sundays. this week off has been culture shock for us all. i kept busy by working in the studio most of this week but it seems that soon marching band will be but a memory and the work at hand will be the lessons we all need to become better musicians. orchestra and band alike should get ready for the circle of fifths, rhythm charts, intonation lessons, and sight reading. we have a winter concert to prepare for but more importantly we must return to our roots. it's time to get back to the fundamentals that make our program great. november.03.04 music has historically been controversial. i guess we can be considered among the greats in this regard. i look forward to more peaceful times with well wishes and support from all those around us. i think that we are on our way. my last few meetings have been productive. the band parents ran a great show even with the construction. this year graduation will be hard two fold. first of all i will loose some great students as they leave for college. secondly i will loose a group of parents that helped rebuild what a band parents organization is. for me personally it's been great to have the help of so many fathers with the band. in a time when parents have less and less to do with their children it's great to see exactly the opposite trend with our music students. i consider so many of you friends and it will be hard to see you go when your children graduate. well it's only november and even though marching band is nearly over we have much to do before this year ends. september.22.04 welcome back! much has happened since last i wrote. i've toured the whole country and played some shows in canada. i've even played whiffle ball in the streets on kansas city. summer is meant for such adventure. in the end returning home is always rewarding. it's always good to see familiar faces and get back to the things that make home special. for me that means teaching music as opposed to performing it. in the time i have been home and back to work all our performing groups have kicked into full motion. our orchestra and honors orchestra have some very fine new players and are starting off the year stronger then ever. our band and honors band are currently together five nights a week with the color guard creating the biggest marching band that our town has had in many years. as the year goes on we will see many changes. while construction goes into its second year are are still without our own room and may be moved yet again to a gym which will be divided in half for phys-ed and instrumental music. this will be our fourth room in three years. all volunteers are currently up in the air until the district decides how to screen them. although enrollment has increased in our music departments in the jr. high and high school staff has been reduced. regardless of the obstacles they put in front of us we will continue to grow in quantity and in quality. remember we do this for the love of music. things change but for those who love music the goal remains the same. art for art's sake. i was inspired by a music teacher once. i continue because that inspiration has since transcended into being inspired by the art form that was shared with me then. thank you howard cohen for sharing your gift with me. i was a freshman when mr. cohen left my hs school but his influence has never left me. best wishes, mr. egan may.31 wow 2 updates in less then a week. it's almost blog like. well today was a reminder of why i do what i do for a living. parades always seem to bring it all together for me. on a day like today i get to see all the students preparing for the event. color guard practicing early before the rest arrive. a good chunk of the band also early playing football in the parking lot. the band parents buzzing around getting uniforms ready and loading the truck. then without a word as if everyone just knows all get suited up and board the busses. when we arrive at the starting point the local members of the community stare. some of these people are the same that were vocal about how bad the band used to be 5 years ago. now these same people are shaking our hands and praising the band. the year before i came to NBTHS less then 10 students marched this same parade and they didn't play. now 5 years later a full size color guard, percussion section, and band fill the streets with uniforms and sound. restoring our band to what it once was was never my intent. i always envisioned something more for our town like restoring our pride instead. i have a feeling that this time next year we will be even bigger, but more importantly then increasing the size of our band will be the town's increased feeling of pride in what you have done for them. you have given our town something they can be proud of...i hope you are as proud of what we have done here as i am. best wishes, mr. egan may.27 It's been too long since i've updated these pages. my first directors notes warned of the trials of the year ahead in regards to facilities. little did i realize how intense this year would be on many other fronts. we have had many positive experiences together this year despite the distractions that surrounded us. all of our ensembles have matured this year. this years freshmen class has been strongly influenced by the senior class and as a result the future looks bright. our spring concert was different this year in a several ways. our selections were more intense than in other years. the inclusions of pieces like "the inferno" reflected our increased ability to interpret music more artistically than in past performances. the addition of our percussion ensemble gave us a chance to show an area of growth within the music department not all get a chance to see. paul bongovi has finally gotten the recognition he deserves for his hard work here at NBTHS. i guess with this year behind us my thoughts are on my well wishes to our graduating seniors. i will miss this special group. we share a special bond. we did the impossible. we had the guts to see the future in what others saw only as failure. with the exception of paul bongovi and barbara williams most had given up on the raider marching band. we showed them. we had guts. we had faith. we had hope. may you all take the faith, hope, and guts you had here all through life. as the seniors in the past you always have a place at our table. best wishes, mr. egan dec.06 a fresh blanket of snow. The "directors notes" is a place where I put the more serious thoughts about the NBTHS instrumental music program. Those of you, who know me, know that I'm not usually as serious as these notes can be. We all like a good joke and we all like to laugh. That being said there are times where we need to be serious. As the winter concert approaches, and the whether worsens, each of you will need to do more individual practice to make up for our canceled Sunday rehearsal. Please do your part in making this our best concert ever. The rants page is a big hit. The NBTHS Instrumentalist has been hit over 1000 times since it's addition. Please read the following rules so that the Rants survive and do your part to "Save The Rants". Remember a few things about the rants: Its open to anyone on the web so don't give out any personal info on the board. It is possible to have fun while not hurting anyone's feelings. There is a difference between a good sense of humor and just plain mean and stupid, learn the difference. If you lack a sense of humor or can't tell the difference between the two KEEP OUT! I have the ability to delete posts and have. I also have the ability to block certain users but have not. I believe that it is better to leave the site up and give everyone a chance to learn how to use the rant boards. From what I have seen, you are all having a great time in the rants and 99% of your posts are fine. I have confidence that you will be able to police each other and keep the rants alive. For now the RANTS LIVE. best wishes, Mr. Nage ps Isiah will be blocked if he doesn't turn his caps off. pps the difference between the varsity jackets rant is that only select athletes ever become varsity, although some sports are easier to become varsity in than others. That's why only third and forth year Marching Band students are considered Varsity. We've seen players wait to get into a game, but we haven't seen the practice it took for the right to wait. Most people don't understand how hard we work to produce an eight minuet show either. ppps Lastly I believe that Adrian is a double agent but I can't figure out who's side he's on. nov.03 with the end comes new beginnings This year we started the marching band season in July at Linwood Jr. High. When we arrived back at our school we were faced with many new challenges. I am very proud of how well everyone adjusted to these difficult circumstances. There are some things that have been a surprised, but everyone has been great about going with the flow. The seniors see this time as the end of marching band, the most time consuming and memorable part of their high school career. The freshmen see this as the beginning of a path that will be full of lessons and new memories to come. As the year goes on I look forward to working with the band and orchestra in smaller groups. This is where most of the rebuilding really takes place. You may notice that our seniors are a very skilled bunch. They have benefited from small group instruction and I hope to do the same for the underclassmen this year. Before we get to that however, the rehearsals on Sunday December 7th and Monday the 8th will be very helpful in preparing for the winter concert. Please make every effort to be available on those days. Once the winter break is over look for the return of rotating lessons, the formation of a new jazz band, and some small group ensembles. Lastly I would like to congratulate this years senior class for an outstanding job. With virtually no example to go by you became the perfect senior class setting the highest standards and being the perfect examples to the underclassmen. You have left them with some very big shoes to fill. I would be remiss if I didn't specifically congratulate Rashon Sharp and Rafi Chowdhury for showing everyone what it means to be Drum Major. Never before have I seen two Drum Majors care more, try harder, or deliver greatness in ideas and leadership, like I saw in these two young men. But like Georgie Paulick said," once on the field, the seniors are no more important than anyone else on the field. Just a spot on the field like any freshmen." That graceful statement sums up what we are all about. None of us are anymore important than the next. None of us are any less important than the next. Without good people to lead even these great Drum Major are nothing. Thank you all for giving this senior class and these Drum Majors such a worthy band to lead. I personally couldn't be prouder. best wishes, Mr. Egan aug.03 NBTHS
Music Program In Disney 2003 aug 03 Dear Parents and Students,
The 2003-2004 school year will be full of many new challenges. I am sure we will meet all these challenges with the same determination that we have in the past. This year we will be working through some major construction and we have been moved to a much smaller classroom. The field, band room, and theater we practice and perform in, have been dismantled. Storage is also lost for us this year. Although it would be easy to complain or whine, I think we should remember that this inconvenience is a small price to pay for what looks like a great future home for our music and theater department. The town of North Brunswick continues to support the hard work of its students by providing appropriate space and equipment allowing us to put on spectacular shows and events. We will endure the construction and continue to improve regardless of the obstacles. We do so knowing that the administration cares about our program enough to include us in this major construction project. We have been effectively restoring our Marching Band over the last three years. We have gone from around 20 members to well over 70 and continue to grow every year. During this process we have returned our percussion section to their rightful place marching on the field. This has been done under the guidance of percussion instructor Mr. Paul Bongovi. We have also been busy creating a much needed color guard over the last three years which is now under the direction of Shannon Shotwell, Nik Quinto, and Elyse Hajdusek. Last year we added Chris English, the jr. high band director, as the assistant marching band director. Since the addition of Mr. English we have seen our freshman class increase in numbers significantly. This will assure our continued success and growth in the future. The success of our Marching Band has helped all areas of our instrumental music program grow. Marching Band, being the most visible instrumental organization, has much to do with our overall funding. When the band marches through town twice a year the towns folk access our whole program in an instant, right or wrong. Also because this group plays at football games they reach the sports crowd which is a valuable ally and increases awareness of the music program. When the Marching Band is taken seriously it is properly funded effectively funding all our ensembles properly. These ensembles include orchestra, concert band, and jazz band and our chamber groups. Having a group that students can be proud to participate in has led to more involvement in concert band allowing us to now offer two levels of performance to our wind and percussion students. Starting last year we began an accelerated band program offering honors credit. By separating first and second year instrumental students from third and forth year students we have been able to bring our juniors and seniors to a much higher level of performance. It has also allowed us to spend more time on the basics that our first and second year students need in order to reach the honors level. This has, in turn, allowed us to provide the same opportunity for our string students. The NBTHS orchestra is a sometimes overlooked organization. This may be because the orchestra was in much better shape when I got here then the band. At the time I arrived I don't think anyone was worried about the state of the orchestra or doubted its high level of performance. Although it has continued to grow and improve over the years, it didn't require the "rise from the ashes" approach that the band required. Also, do to the nature of the beast, the orchestra is mostly an indoor group. We have played for many events including art shows, memorial services, award shows, and for senior citizen groups. As you can see from this list, these events aren't the circus style events that are performed by our marching band, but the events that require a more sophisticated sonic experience. These events require something more subtle and with a certain level of class. Because of the subtle nature of our string performances and the audience it reaches we are not always the center of attention. Just as in real life sometimes the loudest thing in the room is what gets your attention. Many times if we stay in the room long enough we may notice that we have overlooked something else that is very much worth our attention. Indeed some of our most talented musicians are found in this organization. Most of our success in the NJ Regions ensembles and all state ensembles has come from our orchestra students. North Brunswick is very lucky to have so many choices in instrumental music. With so many types of different instrumental performance groups we have something for all types of musicians and all types of audiences. Whereas the Marching Band is in your face, so to speak, our orchestra takes a different approach. Although some may think it understated, those of us with music backgrounds know that the orchestra plays at a level of emotion that can be hard to obtain in a wind ensemble setting. Then again there is no denying the power and strength of our wind and percussion ensembles. We also have, jazz ensemble, pit orchestra, and two chamber groups. In the end we are all part of a team and need each other to express the wide range of emotion that we do. My favorite thing to do each year is to put all the groups together for our symphonic orchestra. I think this gives instrumentalists and audience members alike a chance to see how far we have come over these last three years. Thank you students and parents alike for your support over the last three years. As I begin my fourth year here at NBTHS the students and I look forward to bringing our ensembles to yet another new high! Sincerely, James Egan |
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